Diverse beauty
Jathika Namal Uyana:
If you feel like enjoying the wonders of nature your choice may be a
national park. Historical sites in Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura would be
the favourites of an archaeologist. A landscape full of geographical
changes would be an ideal location for a geographer to study the
physical features of the earth.
But how would you feel if you could find all in one? I mean a single
place which is important in three ways- environmentally,
archaeologically and geographically!
Sounds fabulous says our photographer who captured the beauty of the
Jathika Namal Uyana, a forest reservation which is situated 7 kilometres
away from Madatugama junction on the Colombo-Anuradhapura Highway,
towards the road leading to Adiyagala, Galkiriyagama.
Namal Uyana is believed to be the oldest man-made forest in Sri
Lanka. The forest reservation which stretches over an area of about 260
acres consists of the Naa Forest itself, the largest deposit of pink
quartz found in South Asia, one of the largest beds of fossilized
plants, an underground spring from which water spurts out from several
different points in the Naa forest, and ancient ruins and temples. Also
the forest is known for its rich bio diversity.
Ven. Wanawasi Rahula Thera who as been residing in a small kuti of
Namal Uyana for the past eighteen years says that the pink quartz found
here belongs to the pre hHistoric age and is said to have 550 million
years of history. “ Pink quartz from Namal Uyana has been used in the
window fittings of Taj Mahal.”
Despite being situated in the dry zone, the vegetation which is
usually found in a wet zone forest too could be seen in Namal Uyana.
In fact both climatic conditions are found here.
“In Namal Uyana you can watch almost all the wild animals that are
common to a forest except tigers and bears.”
According to Ven. Rahula Thera there are about 10-12 elephants in the
reserve. Twenty one species of birds have been identified. Also this is
the home to seventy two varieties of herbs.
As the historical records reveal Namal Uyana first came to light
during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The king was said to have
considered the present day border of Namal Uyana to serve as one of his
main parks and had taken steps to plant Naa trees up to this end.
Ranawa, one of villages reclaimed by King Dutugemunu from his enemy
troops in his attempt to unify the country under his control , is
situated on the eastern boundary of Namal Uyana. During the period of
King Dappula the area was considered as a human sanctuary.
Under the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Ministry of
Urban Development and Sacred Area Development has provided financial
assistance of Rs.two million and a plot of land to construct a
Secretariat for Jathika Namal Uyana in Dambulla town.
Also a donation of Rs. two million has been granted under Maga Naguma
to construct the path that leads to Venerable Vananasi Thera’s abode.
- Samangie
Pix: Thilak Perera
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